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[TigerLily]

Books read in 2021

31) CHILDHOOD'S END (1953)

by Arthur C. Clarke

The good ones always float off into space

I read the Tibetan Book of the Dead at an impressionable age. It has had quite an impact on my global viewpoint. At some point I will have it written into my will that I would like Tibetan lamas chant at my bedside as I begin my journey into the the next realm

Another quick story if you will indulge me. I was on a business trip with a colleague stuck at the St. Louis Airport due to weather. It was very nasty. I was sure they would cancel the flight. Just after they announced we would be boarding soon my colleague nudged me. I looked over and the person next to her was reading the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I giggled a bit nervously. They announced our boarding and I lived to tell the tale

[PB]

The good ones always float off into space

I read the Tibetan Book of the Dead at an impressionable age. It has had quite an impact on my global viewpoint. At some point I will have it written into my will that I would like Tibetan lamas chant at my bedside as I begin my journey into the the next realm...

I visited the Potala Palace and several other monasteries in Tibet, and walking through the place (100s of rooms of all sizes, dark, dank, no windows, murals on the walls, lighted only by yak butter candles - which were everywhere), there were nooks and crannies with cabinet-like boxes with cubby holes stuffed full of ancient looking scrolls.  Thousands of them.  I've always wondered what was on them, if anyone ever pulled them out and looked at them, if they were translated...

I remember having tea with some monks in a 12 x 12 sized room in one monastery, and leaning back, looking up at the ceiling, it was covered end to end with a net, and the net held dozens (hundreds?) of ancient weapons - old muskets, swords, deadly looking clubs... apparently the PLA didn't get everything.

[Bart Ell]

At some point I will have it written into my will that I would like Tibetan lamas chant at my bedside as I begin my journey into the the next realm

YOU HAVE A BED IN YOUR CAR?
Ooops, wrote too much.
Ignore that.

[PB]

... I will have it written into my will that I would like Tibetan lamas chant at my bedside as I begin my journey into the the next realm...

And a Tibetan style sky burial?

[KSM]

Ordered Animal Farm a month ago and it just shipped today! By now I could have started an actual ACTUAL FARM! Yeesh

..had to get the hardcover 

[Camazotz Automat]

Ordered Animal Farm a month ago and it just shipped today! By now I could have started an actual ACTUAL FARM! Yeesh

..had to get the hardcover 

Wow! That's how long it took to receive the Official Moonbase Alpha Technical Notebook for Space:1999 in 1977!  Heh heh.

Luckily, that poor hardcover pig was very patient.

[TigerLily]

YOU HAVE A BED IN YOUR CAR?
Ooops, wrote too much.
Ignore that.

I have a Prius. Very comfy with the seats down. The monks can sit in the front then drive me to the sky burial

And a Tibetan style sky burial?

Ashes to ashes. Dust to vultures

[Camazotz Automat]

The good ones always float off into space

I read the Tibetan Book of the Dead at an impressionable age. It has had quite an impact on my global viewpoint. At some point I will have it written into my will that I would like Tibetan lamas chant at my bedside as I begin my journey into the the next realm

Another quick story if you will indulge me. I was on a business trip with a colleague stuck at the St. Louis Airport due to weather. It was very nasty. I was sure they would cancel the flight. Just after they announced we would be boarding soon my colleague nudged me. I looked over and the person next to her was reading the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I giggled a bit nervously. They announced our boarding and I lived to tell the tale

Being a logical, sane, & practical person, I too, would have boarded the plane as you did.

However.

After reaching cruising altitude, I would start thinking:

Why the f$&@ did I get on this go$(+!3$ plane when that f+&#ing passenger was reading that motherfu&#-!g cocksu&${| book?!?  That PARTICULAR !%$@&King book?! Could the Universe be any more clear, Cam?! You deluded idiot!  Holy Freaking Frankenf@#!!! Talk about a literal sky burial!

F@#k!!!
F@#k!!!
F@#k!!!
F@#k!!!
F@#k!!!
F@#k!!!
F@#k!!!

After landing:

I knew it was no big deal. Not at all. People read all kinds of books. Just another plane trip. I like to make up fictional reactions and use them later when developing characters. Helps pass the time. I wouldn't care if a passenger were reading a book on making bombs.

[Camazotz Automat]

I visited the Potala Palace and several other monasteries in Tibet, and walking through the place (100s of rooms of all sizes, dark, dank, no windows, murals on the walls, lighted only by yak butter candles - which were everywhere), there were nooks and crannies with cabinet-like boxes with cubby holes stuffed full of ancient looking scrolls.  Thousands of them.  I've always wondered what was on them, if anyone ever pulled them out and looked at them, if they were translated...

I remember having tea with some monks in a 12 x 12 sized room in one monastery, and leaning back, looking up at the ceiling, it was covered end to end with a net, and the net held dozens (hundreds?) of ancient weapons - old muskets, swords, deadly looking clubs... apparently the PLA didn't get everything.

Thanks for sharing that detailed memory. "Most cool!"

[ShayP]

Thanks for sharing that detailed memory. "Most cool!"

Indeed.  I enjoyed visualizing it.

[PB]

Thanks for sharing that detailed memory. "Most cool!"

Indeed.  I enjoyed visualizing it.

I wish I had better photos inside these places.  It was so dark, plus any photo could never take in the whole scene - it was so confined, beams, columns, there were no good sight lines or vantage points. 

There were pilgrims from all over Tibet crowding in, going from room to room, shrine to shrine, each one praying, adding butter to the candles, and leaving scarves and other offerings, monks meditating or hurrying here and there.  There were shrines everywhere, some main rooms had one huge statue, or a dozen, other rooms had row after row of smaller figures, each with it's own cubby, each one in full dress, surrounded by candles, offerings, scarves, miscellanea, photos of the Dalai Lama, and so on, curtains, murals, little side rooms, stairs taking us up to more levels until finally the roof.  All a crowded jumble.

There were a few man made caves that had shrines, monks and pilgrims there as well, the walls were carved into base reliefs of buddhas (I think), and brightly painted.

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Check this monk's drum hanging from the ceiling:

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There's probably 20 ''banned'' photos of the Dalai Lama in this shrine, plus a partially covered postcard sized image of the equally banned Tibet flag (red and blue rays emanating from a yellow sun, lower right):

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[Camazotz Automat]

" I wish I had better photos inside these places.  It was so dark, plus any photo could never take in the whole scene
...."  et al

+ googolplex

Outstanding. That drum jumped out immediately for me, just after the atmosphere of it all "set the inner stage first,"  of course. Heh  heh.

[PB]

+ googolplex

Outstanding. That drum jumped out immediately for me, just after the atmosphere of it all "set the inner stage first,"  of course. Heh  heh.

A few more from outside.

Fresh yak meat

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Yak butter

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Fresh produce

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[PB]

Pilgrim

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Kids

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More kids

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[PB]

Jokhang temple, city square.  Check out the huge incense burners on either side of the entrance.

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The old Lhasa mosque.  I wish I'd gone in.

Minaret behind the wall, topped with crescent moon (it's faint). 

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On the steps of the mosque

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